Research Briefing

Obama And The Democrats Recklessly Abandoned The Most Basic Responsibility Of Governing

WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF BILL DALEY: “First of all, no business out there would be at the end of their first quarter and not have a budget for the year that they are in, much less putting a budget forward for ’12. We are only seven months away from the end of this fiscal year, and we don't have a budget, which is kind of ridiculous. No company could get away with that.”  (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 3/6/11)

SO WHY ARE WE IN THIS “RIDICULOUS” SITUATION? 

Because Democrats Played Politics And Failed To Pass A Budget Last Year

“Some Version Of The CR Is Needed To Avoid A Shutdown Since The Democratic-Led Congress Failed To Pass A Budget Last Year.” (Stephanie Condon, “Is a Government Shutdown in March on the Table?” CBS News, 2/16/11)

Last Year, The House Failed To Pass A Budget For The First Time Since 1974, Because Democrats Didn’t “Want To Make Vulnerable Democrats Vote For Another Spending Bill.” ABC’s Jake Tapper:  “I want to say, the theory is that you don't want to make vulnerable Democrats vote for another spending bill, and that's why, for the first time since 1974 there isn't going to be a house budget.”  (ABC’s “This Week,” 6/13/10)

• Democrats Didn’t Want To Encourage More “Voter Rebellion” In November After Voting For ObamaCare. “After betting their political future on a government-mandated expansion of health care to include millions more Americans, Democrats appear to have little appetite for more legislative showdowns given voter rebellion against government spending amid trillion dollar-plus annual deficits.” (Laurie Kellman, “Election Spooks Lawmakers, Curbs Congress Spending,” The Associated Press, 6/7/10)
• “They Never Passed A Budget Or Any Of The Dozen Appropriations Bills That Fund The Government.” (Jonathan Allen, “The Huddle,” Politico, 9/30/10)

Despite Claiming That Budgeting Is “The Most Basic Responsibility Of Governing” 

Hoyer In 2006: “House Republicans Are Now On The Cusp Of Failing To Meet The Most Basic Responsibility Of Governing – Enacting A Budget.” (Rep. Steny Hoyer, “Republican Budget Meltdown Continues,” Press Release, 5/11/06)

• But In 2010, Hoyer Failed To Pass A Budget He Said He Was Waiting For The President’s Fiscal Commission. “‘It isn’t possible to debate and pass a realistic, long-term budget until we’ve considered the bipartisan commission’s deficit-reduction plan, which is expected in December,’ according to Hoyer’s prepared remarks that were provided to The Hill.” (Jared Allen, “Dems Won’t Pass Budget In 2010,” The Hill, 6/22/10)

Pelosi In 2006 On The Consequences Of Failing To Produce A Budget : “‘They're Going To Leave A Mess As They Go Out,’ Democratic House Speaker-To-Be Nancy Pelosi Of San Francisco Said Thursday.” (Edward Epstein, “Congress Goes Home With Budget Work Unfinished,” San Francisco Chronicle, 12/08/06)

Former Democrat Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt In 2006:  “If You Can’t Budget, You Can’t Govern.”  (Jonathan Allen, “Budget Looms Over Midterm Elections,” Politico, 5/10/10)

Obama: "'[W]e Cannot Keep Doing Business This Way,' Obama Said After The Senate Approved The [Short-Term Continuing] Resolution." (Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery,  "Obama Invites Congressional Leaders To Meet With Biden On Budget," The Washington Post, 3/2/11)

Rep. Jim Clyburn: “Two-Week Budgeting Is No Way To Fund The Government.” “Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn of South Carolina said, ‘Two-week budgeting is no way to fund the government’ and that Democrats already have gone along with $41 billion in cuts from Obama’s proposed budget a year ago.” (Richard Cohen, "Democrats Struggle To Unify On Budget," Politico, 3/4/11)

AND DALEY’S BOSS IS STILL AVOIDING LEADERSHIP ON THE BUDGET 

CBS News’ Chip Reid: “President Obama Said He'd Take A Scalpel To The Budget Instead Of A Machete. So Far, Though, He Appears To Be Wielding A Butter Knife - Trimming Little More Than Soft Edges.” (Chip Reid, “Forget The Machete, Or The Scalpel: Obama Takes A Butter Knife To The Budget,” CBS News, 3/4/11)

• Democrats Are Only Meeting Republicans “One-Sixth Of The Way” On Budget Cuts. “Without that imaginary $40.8 billion, the real numbers are Democrats: $10.5 billion; Republicans: $61.5 billion. So Democrats are meeting them one-sixth of the way.” (Chip Reid, “Forget The Machete, Or The Scalpel: Obama Takes A Butter Knife To The Budget,” CBS News, 3/4/11)

The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank: "In His New Budget, Obama Kicks The Can One More Time" (Dana Milbank, Op-Ed, "In His New Budget, Obama Kicks The Can One More Time," The Washington Post, 2/15/11)

The President’s Proposed “New” Budget Cuts Are Cuts Obama Has Already Proposed. “At first glance, this list [of the president’s budget cuts] gives the appearance that they're busy trimming newly-found lard. In fact, though, all of these items are ALREADY in the president's 2011 or 2012 budgets. Nothing new here.” (Chip Reid, “Forget The Machete, Or The Scalpel: Obama Takes A Butter Knife To The Budget,” CBS News, 3/4/11)

• Or Earmarks He Has Already Pledged To Eliminate. “Many of the other ‘new’ cuts are essentially ’earmarks’ -- specially-targeted spending that the president has already vowed to eliminate.” (Chip Reid, “Forget The Machete, Or The Scalpel: Obama Takes A Butter Knife To The Budget,” CBS News, 3/4/11)

When Given The Chance To Show Leadership With His Own Budget, Obama “Chose Instead To Duck” Behind “The Sort Of Budgetary Gimmicks He Once Derided.” “Having been given the chance, the cover and the push by the fiscal commission he created to take bold steps to raise revenue and curb entitlement spending, President Obama, in his fiscal 2012 budget proposal, chose instead to duck. To duck, and to mask some of the ducking with the sort of budgetary gimmicks he once derided.”  (Editorial, “President Obama's Budget Kicks The Hard Choices Further Down The Road,” The Washington Post, 2/15/11)